TKG English Learner's Dictionary

herself

herselfpronoun

American /hər.ˈsɛlf/ British /hə.ˈself/ The stress falls on the second part: her-SELF.
very commondefining vocabulary

Herself refers back to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, either as the object of her own action or to show that she, no one else, did it.

  1. reflexiveused as the object of a verb or preposition when the action affects a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, the same one who is the subject

    Herself is used when the subject and the object of the same clause refer to the same female person or animal: she cut herself. It is not just another way of saying her: when the object is a different person from the subject, use her (he gave it to her).

  2. for emphasisused after a noun or pronoun, or alone, to show that she, and no one else, did something or was affected

    This emphatic use often comes right after the subject or at the end of the clause: she herself doesn't believe it; she painted the fence herself.

Phrases

by herself

alone, without other people, or without help

Word family

Usage

In its reflexive use, herself is not simply a more polite or formal way of saying her: it refers back to the subject of the same clause. When the subject is someone else, use her: can you come with her?

Common mistakes

Can you come with herself? Can you come with her?
As an object, herself is used only when it refers to the same person as the subject; if the subject is someone else, the plain object form her is needed.

See also she; her

For translators

Grammar trap English marks a reflexive pronoun with its own form (myself, himself, herself...), different from the ordinary object pronoun; many languages use one reflexive form for every person, or reuse the ordinary object pronoun instead.